Target spotted

"Manman, take this plate of oysters to your classmate."

Tang's mother used a metal clamp to transfer the freshly grilled oysters onto a square metal tray, then set it aside on the table without turning her head as she gave the instruction. Without pause, she went back to tending the other skewers on the grill.

After finishing another batch of pork skewers, Tang's mother placed them on a serving tray nearby. Just as she was about to ask her daughter to deliver them, she noticed, to her surprise, that the plate of oysters was still sitting untouched in its original spot.

Instinctively, she turned to look behind her and saw her precious daughter slumped over the table, her shoulders trembling faintly now and then.

"Manman?"

Confused, Tang's mother called out softly.

At the sound of her mother's voice, Tang Manman slowly sat up, revealing her reddened, tear-streaked eyes and delicate face damp with tears.

"Manman, what's wrong?"

Seeing her daughter in such a state, Tang's mother panicked, abandoning the skewers on the grill entirely. She hurried to Tang Manman's side, crouching down to ask with concern.

"Mom, I don't feel well."

Tang Manman sniffled, wiping the tears from her face with her sleeve as she choked out, "I... I want to go home."

"Silly child, why didn’t you say something sooner if you weren’t feeling well?"

Tang's mother pressed her forehead against Tang Manman's to check for fever. Finding it only slightly warm, she sighed in slight relief.

"If you're not feeling well, go home and rest. I can handle things here alone."

Tang Manman nodded tearfully, standing up and wiping her face once more before heading in the direction of home.

But after only a few steps, she paused and glanced back at the customers seated in front of the barbecue stall.

Her eyes flickered with pain as she caught sight of Lin Yu feeding a girl with intimate familiarity. Pressing her lips tightly together, she turned away resolutely and left...

...

"Bro, I really can't eat any more."

"How about I eat the lamb kidneys, and you take the leeks? I seriously can’t stand the taste of leeks!"

Cheng Ya pleaded with a pained expression.

"No way!"

"Eat it now!"

Lin Yu grabbed a skewer of leeks and shoved it toward Cheng Ya’s mouth.

"This is part of the job, got it? You don’t get to be picky!"

Just as he was about to force the leeks into her mouth, Lin Yu’s sharp peripheral vision caught sight of Tang Manman approaching with a tray of grilled food. In a flash, he yanked Cheng Ya’s head toward him, pressing it firmly against his chest.

Cheng Ya, ever the professional, instantly guessed the reason for his sudden change in demeanor. She melted into his embrace, adopting a coquettish tone as she murmured,

"Ugh, you’re so annoying~"

"Classmate, here are your oysters."

A gentle, soothing voice spoke up, making Lin Yu frown.

That wasn’t right.

Tang Manman’s voice had suddenly become so soft, as if weathered by years of experience.

Curious, Lin Yu turned to look and realized it wasn’t Tang Manman delivering the oysters—it was her mother, who bore a striking resemblance to her.

"Thank you, Auntie."

Lin Yu nodded at Tang's mother, then glanced around, scanning the area for Tang Manman.

Had she left?

Confirming her absence, Lin Yu stopped forcing Cheng Ya to eat the leeks. After quickly finishing the skewers and oysters, returning two untouched beers, and settling the bill, he left with Cheng Ya.

After dropping her off at her apartment building, Lin Yu transferred the promised 500 yuan payment. After a moment’s hesitation, he decided not to delete her contact—having this fake girlfriend relationship might come in handy for future cover-ups.

Watching Cheng Ya disappear into the stairwell, Lin Yu didn’t immediately ride off on his motorcycle. Instead, he lit a cigarette, taking slow drags as he sat astride the bike.

With this, the Tang Manman situation was finally resolved.

She wasn’t the type of girl to shamelessly cling to someone. After Cheng Ya had made her hostility so obvious, she’d likely stay away for his sake.

Yet despite having settled things with Tang Manman, Lin Yu didn’t feel particularly good about it.

Instead, a sense of melancholy weighed on him.

"I wonder if I’ll ever meet another girl that wonderful, who actually liked me."

He sighed softly.

Taking one last deep drag, he exhaled both smoke and frustration before twisting the throttle and riding off...

...

The days that followed were uneventful—so much so that Lin Yu found it almost unsettling.

First, there was Tang Manman. True to form, she never sought him out again. On the rare occasions they crossed paths, she’d offer nothing more than a polite smile before continuing with her own business.

Then there was Xia Muzhu.

Just thinking about her gave Lin Yu a headache.

A whole month!

An entire month had passed!

He’d been freeloading at her place for a full month now!

And yet, there wasn’t even a trace of the so-called second "steamy scene" male lead from the original plot.

It made Lin Yu start questioning whether his memory was faulty—maybe he’d mixed up plots from another story.

As for the kid who’d supposedly peeked at the intimate scenes in the original plot, Lin Yu had indeed met him.

He was Xia Muzhu’s neighbor’s son, just started middle school, well-behaved and polite, with a clear fondness for the gentle older sister next door.

But Xia Muzhu only saw him as a cute kid from the neighborhood.

Compared to that brat, Xia Muzhu’s feelings for Lin Yu had only grown deeper.

Rubbing his temples, Lin Yu couldn’t help but feel that things were getting dangerously off track.

Then there was the third heroine—the one whose name he still didn’t know but who carried herself with an aloof, cool demeanor.

Since the day she’d cursed him out and left him choking on car exhaust a month ago, he hadn’t seen hide nor hair of her.

Like the second male lead, she’d vanished without a trace, as if she’d never existed.

What a headache!

Sighing softly, Lin Yu was just about to focus on finishing his meal before it got cold when his phone buzzed briefly in his pocket.

Pulling it out, he saw a message from Xia Yueshan:

"Target spotted!"